Good day everyone,
We currently have an offer from a general contractor. The calculation is based on standard uPVC windows – colored on the outside, white on the inside.
The additional cost for windows with an aluminum cladding on the outside – while keeping the inside white – is €3,800.00.
Now we are wondering: should we go for it or not? Where is the added value here?
In my opinion, there is hardly any visual difference when the windows are color foil wrapped on the outside. uPVC windows are just as easy to maintain, aren’t they?
We currently have an offer from a general contractor. The calculation is based on standard uPVC windows – colored on the outside, white on the inside.
The additional cost for windows with an aluminum cladding on the outside – while keeping the inside white – is €3,800.00.
Now we are wondering: should we go for it or not? Where is the added value here?
In my opinion, there is hardly any visual difference when the windows are color foil wrapped on the outside. uPVC windows are just as easy to maintain, aren’t they?
I have never consciously seen 40-year-old plastic windows, but I have seen several 20-year-old ones that already look worn down. I know that 45-year-old aluminum windows still look like new even up close. In theory, they would maintain that appearance for much longer. However, 50-year-old aluminum windows are already due for replacement, as profiles from the late 1960s still had single-piece frames without thermal breaks between the exterior and interior sides. Unfortunately, these cannot be retrofitted—at least not for the opening sashes. Current profiles feature a two-part construction, which also allows for different colors on the inside and outside without using films.
Wood-aluminum windows of good quality are more expensive than pure aluminum windows (which can also come with wood-grain finishes). PVC—I have explained this in detail here before, but don’t have time to find the exact post right now—became a popular window material due to four simple reasons: 1. it does not rot like wooden windows that tenants rarely paint; 2. woodworking and plastic processing both fall under the joiners’ guild and can be done on essentially the same machines with only different attachments; 3. aluminum profiles at the time lacked thermal breaks and were single-piece, so a whole generation knows aluminum window frames as “cold”; 4. the average consumer, influenced by certain beer commercials, is aware that tropical hardwood is politically incorrect. Fifth, for average earners, aluminum windows target higher-income buyers price-wise, while PVC windows are much more competitively priced. When comparing list prices to offers, aluminum vs. PVC easily shifts from about 120:100 to 118:70 (advantage: PVC), which is a strong argument.
In short, specifically for the original poster: I recommend Gealan (solid quality even in the manufacturing companies, with colors not applied by foil but fused into the extrusion process—though unfortunately the same color is applied to both sides of the profile) and aluminum for street-facing elements (exterior doors, garage doors, sliding windows). All-around aluminum adds value when reselling, especially if your house falls into the “Jette” category—less so for the “Maxime” category, and for the “Flair” category, you might have to write off the extra cost.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Wood-aluminum windows of good quality are more expensive than pure aluminum windows (which can also come with wood-grain finishes). PVC—I have explained this in detail here before, but don’t have time to find the exact post right now—became a popular window material due to four simple reasons: 1. it does not rot like wooden windows that tenants rarely paint; 2. woodworking and plastic processing both fall under the joiners’ guild and can be done on essentially the same machines with only different attachments; 3. aluminum profiles at the time lacked thermal breaks and were single-piece, so a whole generation knows aluminum window frames as “cold”; 4. the average consumer, influenced by certain beer commercials, is aware that tropical hardwood is politically incorrect. Fifth, for average earners, aluminum windows target higher-income buyers price-wise, while PVC windows are much more competitively priced. When comparing list prices to offers, aluminum vs. PVC easily shifts from about 120:100 to 118:70 (advantage: PVC), which is a strong argument.
In short, specifically for the original poster: I recommend Gealan (solid quality even in the manufacturing companies, with colors not applied by foil but fused into the extrusion process—though unfortunately the same color is applied to both sides of the profile) and aluminum for street-facing elements (exterior doors, garage doors, sliding windows). All-around aluminum adds value when reselling, especially if your house falls into the “Jette” category—less so for the “Maxime” category, and for the “Flair” category, you might have to write off the extra cost.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
To cut a long story short, specifically for the original poster: I recommend Gealan (good quality, including from the manufacturers; the color is not foil laminated but melted into the profile during the extrusion process, although unfortunately it is the same on both sides of the profile)Do you mean the Gealan Acrycolor system? That one is available with different colors on the inside and outside, which we have (RAL 7016/9016)
HarvSpec schrieb:
the Gealan Acrycolor system? It comes with different colors for the interior and exterior,Oh wow, that’s great – thank you, I didn’t have that information yethttps://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Yes, besides the innovative and durable coloring method (and of course the generally recommended quality), Gealan is also my favorite manufacturer because I have never come across an unprofessional contractor in their network of specialist companies.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
Yes, besides the innovative and durable coloring method (and, of course, generally commendable quality), Gealan is also my favorite manufacturer because I haven’t found any shady companies in their network of specialist dealers. Are their prices competitive with typical manufacturers like Internorm?
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